Puyuma
Encyclopedia
Taiwanese aborigines
Taiwanese aborigines is the term commonly applied in reference to the indigenous peoples of Taiwan. Although Taiwanese indigenous groups hold a variety of creation myths, recent research suggests their ancestors may have been living on the islands for approximately 8,000 years before major Han...
. The tribe is generally divided into the Chihpen and Nanwang groups, both resident in Taitung County
Taitung County
Taitung County is a county in eastern Taiwan. The name means "Eastern Taiwan". Taitung County is also known as 後山 by many of the locals, meaning behind the mountains or the back mountains. Taitung is officially administered as a county of Taiwan, Republic of China.Taitung runs along the south east...
on the east coast of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
.
In the year 2000 the Puyuma numbered 9,606. This was approximately 2.4% of Taiwan's total indigenous population, making them the sixth-largest tribal group. The Puyuma speak their tribal language as well as Mandarin
Standard Chinese
Standard Chinese, or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
and Taiwanese. The Puyuma language, however, is dying.
The name "Puyuma" means "unity" or "concord," and was originally the autonym of the speakers of the Nanwang dialect (Teng 2008). Zeitoun and Cauquelin (2006) also note that the word Puyuma can be analyzed as pu'-uma, which means "to send to the field."
Peinan Site
The earliest records of the Peinan Site were made by Torii RyūzōTorii Ryuzo
was a Japanese ethnologist, anthropologist and folklorist. He was known for his anthropological investigation in Taiwan and also conducted archaeological excavations and attempted to understand prehistoric Northeast Asia.-Life:...
, an anthropologist in the early period of the Japanese Occupation of Taiwan. During his four visits to Taiwan for anthropological research, he took two photos of the stone pillars on the ground surface at the Peinan Site
Villages
Puyuma villages include (ordered from north to south):- Ulibulibuk
- Bankio
- Alipai
- Pinaski
- Tamalakaw
- Rikabung
- Puyuma (Nanwang)
- Peinan
- Balangaw
- Apapalo
- Kasabakan
- Katipul
- Nirbuaqan
Notable Puyuma people
- A-meiA-MeiA-Mei , also known by her birth name Chang Hui-mei , is an aboriginal Taiwanese pop singer and occasional songwriter. She is also known by her aboriginal name Gulilai Amit . She was born in the rugged mountains of eastern Taiwan and is the third youngest of nine siblings. A-mei made her debut in...
, popMandopopMandopop is a colloquial abbreviation for "Mandarin popular music." It is categorized as a subgenre of commercial Chinese-language music within C-pop. Mandopop was the first variety of popular music in Chinese to establish itself as a viable industry. As the name implies, Mandopop features songs...
singer - Saya Chang, singer (and A-mei's younger sister)
- Erica Chiang, singer
- Jane HuangJane HuangJane Huang is a Taiwanese singer. She was born in Taitung County, Taiwan. She is a member of Taiwan's Puyuma aboriginal people. In 2007, she finished seventh in the One Million Star Taiwanese singing competition, but her strength in the rock genre was clear. With the strong support of her fans,...
, singer of Taiwanese rock duo Y2JY2J (band)Y2J is a Taiwanese rock band composed of two participants from the 2007 season of One Million Star, a singing competition. The band released its debut album "Live For You" on August 25, 2008.... - SamingadSamingadSamingad is an aboriginal Taiwanese pop singer and songwriter. She is an ethnic Puyuma. In her native Puyuma language Samingad means "without equal". She was born October 2, 1977 in a Puyuma Township in Taitung County. She was discovered while singing in a restaurant, where she worked as a waitress...
, singer - Purdur, singer
- Panai, singer
- TankTank (Taiwanese singer)Tank is the stage name of Taiwanese singer-songwriter Lǚ Jiàn Zhōng. Tank is currently signed to HIM International Music. Tank's debut album, Fighting 生存之道 was released on February 23, 2006. His latest album, "The 3rd Round", was released on May 31, 2009.-Biography:Tank was born in Taitung, Taiwan...
, singer